Tips

Terrain-heavy maps favor attack jets and light fighters that can use cover and Daredevil-style mods.
Open maps favor interceptors and long-range missile boats. Stay high and use range.
Control point maps reward staying near points and supporting teammates who are already fighting.

Finish the full tutorial. Do not skip sections.
Learn throttle control and energy management first. Feather the throttle — do not hold full afterburner the whole fight.
Stop flying in straight lines. Change direction and altitude constantly.
Watch the minimap. Friendly = blue, enemy = red. After respawn in TDM, go toward your team.
Practice in custom matches against bots before jumping into ranked.
Check party aircraft levels. Keep the gap small to avoid bad matchmaking.

Do not flare on soft lock or the instant you hear the launch sound.
Flare when the warning indicator turns white or when the missile is close and solid.
Turn through the flare. Changing direction and speed makes the missile less likely to re-acquire.
IR missiles perform best from behind. Pull full lead when possible.
Head-on trades are risky, especially against radar missiles.

Cursor aim is preferred by most competitive players.
Raise FOV and camera distance for better peripheral vision.
Disable cannon auto-zoom if it pulls your view.
Use free look / padlock to scan without turning the jet.
Stay near optimal maneuver speed (the highlighted bar) when you need to turn hard.

Hold planes near level 3, 8, 11, or 20. Jumping past those points can match you against much higher-level aircraft.
Special ability blueprints drop more once you have level 8+ planes.
Mods become available later (around level 16+). Prioritize what kills you most.
Upgrade the kill system first (missiles or guns depending on the jet).

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